One Strike
by Charli Fox
Summary: Shortest CSI fic I've done yet, the only characters in this one are Griss and Sara. An addition for the last ep of season 4, yes, I'm being premature with this one.


Disclaimer: You know, I keep telling then that they should give me some rights to this great show, but they just don't agree with me.  I'll get through to them some how, bribe them with something maybe.

Spoilers: Mini one for ER, and for the unaired last episode of season 4.

 Authors note: Yeah maybe I'm being premature with this one but after Payge-Lynn gave me the spoiler on episode 23, from hearing what happens on that, spawned this.  Enjoy.  

One Strike

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He was taking her home.  She couldn't believe that she had been so careless, and then Grissom had been called and before she could tell the officer that she could call a cab and get herself home, he was there, standing in front of her.  Sara couldn't even look up into his face; she knew that all she'd see was disappointment and maybe pity. God, she hoped he didn't pity her.  

She had let him lead her to his car where she had silently gotten into the passengers seat and stared straight ahead out of the window, she could see quite clearly but her head felt a little fuzzy, truth be told Sara didn't feel too bad and she definitely didn't feel drunk.  A little tired perhaps but nothing more.  It was the reason she'd driven herself home in the first place; if she had felt drunk she would never have gotten into the car.  Grissom was quiet too - he was thinking - it was uncomfortable in the confined space of the car, as neither of them knew what to say.  And he certainly didn't know how to broach the subject of her being pulled over.  

"We're here." 

It took her a few seconds to realise what he had said.  She had been staring at the passing houses, apartment blocks, gardens, people and other cars, all of it passing by in a blur of bright colours.  When she looked up, she realised that they had arrived at her apartment.

"Thanks," the CSI mumbled.  She opened the door and stepped out into the night; the air was cool and it hit her like a refreshing wave after the warmth of the car.  She shut the door and began walking up the path to the main door of the apartment block when she heard the other door open and close. Sara sighed wearily, now Grissom wanted to talk.  Despite her inner resistance, she opened the door and allowed him entry.  They would have to talk about this eventually and Sara felt more at ease that is was on her turf.

She led the way up the stairs, the elevator had been fixed a week ago but she felt as though she would start swaying if she stayed stationary for too long   

"You don't have to come up" Sara was giving him the easy way out, an option of leaving and talking about this at a later date, a much later date when she had her wits about her.  "I'm fine and I'm home" not that she could go anywhere now anyway.  Grissom waited until Sara had opened the door to her apartment, he couldn't leave, not now.  He had a job to do and he was going to go right ahead and do it.  Evidently realizing that the Entomologist wasn't going to go anywhere but inside, Sara stepped aside to let him in.  He closed the door and watched as she walked past the kitchen, the living room and into what he assumed was the bedroom, the door closed and then there was silence.  Grissom knew now not to push, and so he waited patiently for her to come out again.  Five minutes passed with no movement from Sara inside her room or from Grissom who was stood by the door, eventually he moved from his spot and into the kitchen where he started to make a cup of coffee, hoping it would coax her out.

Sara was sat on the edge of the bed, waiting impatiently.  She listened out for the front door opening again, a signal that Grissom would have grown tired of waiting and left.  She knew that wasn't going to happen though.  Sara heard him a few minutes later moving about in the kitchen, biting back frustration she stood and opened the door to the bedroom and leant against the doorway, looking at him for a couple of seconds as he worked.  "I'm sorry" she was quiet but as there was no other noise in the room he heard her.

He actually wasn't expecting her to come out so soon, thinking that perhaps she had decided to sleep off the effects of the alcohol.  When he heard her voice he was surprised but didn't outwardly show it, that puzzled expression that she knew so well appeared on his face as though he was trying to solve a riddle.  "For what?" he had expected her to deny that she had drank too much too drive or at the least say that it wouldn't happen again, maybe tell him that it didn't happen often but here she was, apologizing.

Her brow furrowed into a frown at his query.  Wasn't it plainly obvious?  "For embarrassing you, for disgracing the Lab…" did she need to continue?

Grissom put down the milk carton that he had been holding after putting milk into her mug.  "Sara you didn't embarrass me" he corrected her gently.  "Worried me yes, surprised me too but you didn't embarrass me…and you didn't disgrace the Lab either, people have bad days and after that case…" he trailed off.  This was serious but he didn't want to act like the supervisor now, too pressure her into confessing anything, to make her feel bad when it was blatantly obvious that she was there already, would be the wrong move.

"Grissom…" she took a breath before continuing.  She wanted to get all her thoughts in order or risk making a bigger fool out of herself "I've seen what the effects of alcohol can do to a person once they've gotten into a car…" it's what had her so angry at herself "I know what can happen!"  Sara grew quieter, shaking her head and silently berating herself.  "I didn't feel that bad but I took that risk, I could have lost my job because I drank too much at a celebration" that made her stop and think, Nicky and Warrick had been drinking too, she hoped they were alright.

"People make mistakes," he answered softly as he walked over to where she stood.  He also knew, obviously, what could have happened.  Truth be told he had been annoyed when he had heard the news, but he knew that most of that anger came from worry.  Grissom had wondered at what might have gone wrong had Sara not been pulled over -- losing control of the car, plowing into another vehicle, knocking a passerby over – there were a few possibilities.

"I shouldn't have" Sara responded, she didn't think she was being hard enough on herself.  The CSI though back on her conversation with Brass, he was going to think he had been right all along, that she was on her way to being an alcoholic.  He'd make a mountain out of a molehill.  Maybe she should have listened a little bit more to him.  She was surprised that Grissom wasn't, Sara had expected him to go ballistic.

He watched her wordlessly as Sara moved to the kitchen counter to finish off the coffee.  He spoke up again but regretted it once the words were out, it sounded like he was getting ready to give her an ultimatum "God Sara you could have been hurt, you could have hurt somebody else and then what?" it appeared his mouth was choosing to ignore what his brain was telling him to say and it now had a mind all of it's own.  He hadn't intended on saying it quite like that.

"You think I don't know that?" she demanded, turning away from the mug of unfinished coffee and craning her neck to see him on the periphery of her vision.  Sara had taken his comment the wrong way, but then again she needed to shout a little bit and unfortunately Grissom was there.  "People drink a little bit and drive every day and most of those get away with it and manage to get home without harming themselves or anyone else" now it sounded as though she was making nothing out of it.  But she just needed to get her head around it.  "So what's so different about this time" stupid question, when she thought properly on it.

"Because all those other people aren't CSI's that could have lost their jobs tonight!" his voice rose, just a little and Gil inwardly cringed.  When he was thinking about this conversation in the car it hadn't happened like this, he had forgotten to take into account that Sara rarely said, and apparently did, what he thought she would.

She folded her arms, leaned against the counter and a defiant glare crossed her face.  "You can leave now – I'm not going for a walk because it's started to rain, and I can't drive anywhere because my car is at the side of the road where I left it and you brought me here, and just in case I still feel like crap in the morning I'll be taking a cab to work.  So you don't need to worry anymore because I'm not going anywhere yet" her words came out slowly, probably slower than normal and it sounded as though she was thinking carefully before she spoke each word.  Sara didn't sound too angry but her posture told another story all together.

Well, he felt a little satisfied at that announcement.  At least now he could be certain she wasn't going to wander anywhere "maybe you should take tomorrow off" he glanced at his watch, more like tonight, he hadn't realised what time it was, the sun would be coming up soon.

"I don't need to take any time off, I'm fine now" Sara wholeheartedly disagreed with his suggestion.

No you're not fine Sara, you're not fine because you just got pulled over for driving under the influence" great going, remind her of the thing she was still ashamed of and reeling from.

Sara watched him with a stony look in her brown eyes for a few more seconds.  She moved from the kitchen area to the front door, which she opened.  "Get out.  You can berate me outside or at the Lab, even in front of the others but I will not let you do that in my home" she told him angrily.  She held the door open for him, but Griss stayed standing where he was.  She was growing frustrated and it showed; being tired and wanting to sleep and forget the latter part of that night did not help at all.  "Grissom…if you want to talk to me at work then I can't stop you from doing that…" this time she did chose her words carefully.  "But outside of work hours, and on my premises…" her point was perfectly crystal clear.  "Just leave" Sara sincerely didn't want to throw him out.  He had come to her to help out; to make sure that she was alright and now she had blown it, she hated the fact that she had a short fuse when she had drank a little.

Grissom had the look of a defeated man in that moment.  "…Okay" he finally answered, relenting, and walked slowly to the open door that Sara was still stood beside.  She looked down at the carpet, not meeting his eyes in the same manner as earlier, when he had first seen her after getting the call.

"I don't have a problem" she needed to say that, to let him know that this wasn't something she did when she thought no one was looking, it was an isolated incident.  "Just a couple of drinks."

He stepped out into the hallway and Sara began closing the door.  Griss didn't think she had a serious problem, he would know if she did, he'd see if something was wrong  "I'll see you tonight" maybe then they could talk more…in a place she couldn't throw him out of.  He'd given Catherine allowances, this time; he could do the same for Sara.

**Fin**


End file.
